Open Wounds
by Inanis Corpus
Summary: Set just after the end of Not Fade Away. The gang manages to escape, but are shocked when the figure out exactly where they ended up.
1. The Plan

Angel lifted his sword high and screamed into the night. The rain poured down on him making his clothes heavy with moisture. He didn't care. He barley even noticed. All his focus was on the dragon in front of him.  He had seen a lot of things in his all too long life. He had been a lot of things as well; most of them he wished he could forget. But this…this fight, this moment, this is what he was made for.

            The dragons scream pierce the night sky as it swooped down, rapping it wings in the air causing buckets of water to be deposited on everything below. Angel was happy he didn't have to breathe. It wouldn't have been easy. His thoughts forced his mind back to Gunn, Illyria's words hung in his mind 'Your fading…' But the dragon attacked giving him precious little time to be concerned with anything but the problem directly in front of him.  

            He swung his sword hitting the dragon in the neck. Razored teeth covered in bright green mucus came not an inch away from biting into him. If the sword hadn't connected Angel would have been in pieces. The winged beast hollered out in pain, but didn't stop his pursuit.  Angel ducked as the dragon flew over his head; bright green blood covered him as it passed.  Angel turned quickly and thrust his sword upwards and into the belly of the beast. The dragon screamed, flapped its wings in vein, flying only far enough to collapse dead just outside of the ally.

            Not even a celebratory smiled passed his face before the next attacker was on him.

            Gunn tried to stay as far to the edge of the battle as he could, but the edge ended up not being much different than the middle. Demons swarmed around them like bees to a honeycomb. It was awe-inspiring. His mind was spinning everything was moving too fast around him. He shook his head to regain focus. 'I will be fine….I will be fine' kept repeating in his mind.

            The blood flow from his wounds had slowed, though not stopped. And even though Illyria had said he was fading, and he knew that was true, he felt ready to fight.  The cool rain that poured down was helping him stay alert and keep focused. "Just don't fade away" he said to himself and then swung his fist hitting a large black horned demon in the throat. The demon was startled by the hit and choked, staggering back a few steps. Gunn kicked him hard in the chest and sent the demon falling to the ground. He took his sword swung down and severed the head from its body. He screamed out "Yeah, that's right, now bring it on!" and ran into the thick of the battle.

            Spike, as always and even to himself was a paradox. He knew he was right to fight in this battle, but what shocked him was that he was proud. Not too long ago he would have relished Angel's destruction, soul or not. And now he fought here, with Angel by his side.  He looked over to see Angel kneeing a red scaled demon in the gut, on his other side was Illyria who was weaponless, but caused more destruction with more speed that he or Angel could have done as one.  He was amazed, he was part of something bigger than himself and for once it wasn't because he had something to prove.

            A group of blue skin demons came towards him. Long, thick fangs protruded from their jaws.  He stood steady and waited for it. The demons weren't fast or very agile, however there was strength in numbers and Spike, although lean and fast was still just one vampire.  When the first approached him he did a sweeping kick sending the demon to the ground.  While it was still stunned he reached down and grabbed its sword away and quickly ran it through its midsection. One down four to go….

            Illyria was amazed. This was the world she remembered; the world that had left her behind.  Seeing things around her that we so amazingly familiar made her wonder if this world had, in fact, changed at all. The feelings inside her though, they were new. Was this part of Fred? Or was this part of her?  Why when she saw Wesley die before her did she honestly have to wonder if it were not her tears that were being shed instead of Fred's.  Why did she feel for him, or for this cause?

            She had so many questions and not enough answers. One thing she was sure of was that she wouldn't let his death be for nothing.  This was her way of paying tribute to her guide. Some part of her, even if it was ever so small was affected, something inside was clearly different.  Change, she thought, is an amazing thing.

            She had killed many, but not enough. They were losing, she knew it. She did not fool herself like the others into believing something that was not. She was above that. She knew, however, that they were not. They would keep fighting until they were dead. And had she not known another way out, she would have done the same.

She ran down into the back of the ally, away from the others and the battle. She saw Gunn lying against the side of the building looking lifeless.  He was bleeding and left for dead. She turned to him and picked him up. No one was going to be left behind. Those were her instructions.

            She ran with him cradled in her arms until she reached the back wall of the ally. She placed him down carefully. "I will be back." He looked up at her and smiled. She turned and ran back into the fight.

            She knew what she needed to do. They had to be separated from the attackers. She pulled Angel off of a two headed beast. He clung to one of its necks slashing his axe into. The beast screamed horribly, but would not die. Angel tried to fight her off and finish the beast off.  But she thru him to the ground and screamed at him to go.  "Go to the back of the ally. I do not have time to explain this. It is the plan. I will get Spike, now go!" Angel didn't argue.

            She didn't have enough time to search for Spike. The demons would be on them again in seconds. She waved her hand out in front of her and time shifted. She smiled. She had not tried out her powers since they were restored.  As the world moved slowly around her she quickly found Spike. He was severely wounded. Cuts and gashes were evident all over his skin. He bled through his clothing and one eye was already closed from bruising. He was going to die if she didn't reach him. Quickly she pulled him out from underneath a large assortment of demons lifting him to his feet. Instantly he was in sync with her. She grabbed his hand and smiled at him. "Always full of surprises, aren't you Blue?" he said weakly. "It won't hold for long, we have to run." She pulled him along her side. He rushed to keep up but had hurt is left ankle and every step sent burning pain through his leg. He started to fall behind, but she waited for him to catch up.

  They reached the end of the ally were Gunn and Angel lay. They were stuck in slow motion like the rest of the world around them. Only she and Spike moved differently. She allowed him to stand for a moment with is hands against his knees and face towards the ground. He panted heavily and she couldn't make out why. Perhaps habit. Her body still reacted to things that she had no use for as well. The pounding rain mingled with his blood causing crimson water to fall from his body and splash into the large puddles below him. She marveled at the humanity that she saw in him; it did not comfort her that she now saw some of the same in herself. She grabbed his arm for attention. It was time.

            "Grab my hand. We need to do this together." He held on to her as his life depended on it, which it did. "Get Angel, then put all of your focus on the wall. Once we start, we can not stop."

            "I don't understand" he yelled at her into the night to be heard over the rain. She looked at him solemnly. "You will."

            Water poured down. His eyes filled with a mix of blood and water making near impossible to see. But he reached down and grabbed onto Angel's hand, immediately pulling him back into real time, or maybe accelerated time, he wasn't really sure how that worked.

            "What the hell is going on?" Angel was rightfully confused. Spike pointed over to Illyria and shrugged.

            Behind them the spell broke and the demons began to advance on them. "There is no time for this. Hold on to each other and focus on the wall. Do not stop no matter what happens." Illyria was holding Gunn up but one arm. He looked limp, but she could tell that he still had some life left in him. And even if there wasn't, no one was to be left behind those were her instructions and she fully intended on carrying them out.

            The three of them stood steady and unwavering with their backs to the coming fight while Gunn hung at Illyria's side. They weren't afraid. Fear would do them no good. A knife flew from one of the demons hands and lodged into Angel's shoulder. He screamed and squeezed Spike's hand tighter. His legs buckled and he fell to the ground. But he never took his eyes off that wall. Spike helped him back to his feet. A power began to crackle between their hands. Blue waves began to spill from Illyria onto the wall in front of her. "NOW!" she shouted. Breaking contact with Spike she held one hand out, palm forward, and pushed the force onto the wall. Slowly the wall began to change shape. It shifted slightly and opened up into a giant black void crackling with blue and purple energy. A portal.  Illyria handed Gunn off to Spike and they began to advance into it, but the approaching army closed in on them. A sword skewered through Illyria's stomach she howled in pain and fell onto the ground. Angel stood at the gate to their safety and looked back as Spike ran toward him holding Gunn. Angel started back to grab her. "There is no time, go. I will follow. Go now!" the portal was starting to close. Angel pulled the knife from his shoulder and flung it at the attacking demon. It staggered back giving him enough time to get to Illyria and remove the sword from her stomach.  He swung the weapon in the air and connected with the demon's neck, severing the head from the body. Illyria was curled up on the ground. She was still and quite. He reached down and picked her up in his arms. "No one gets left behind." He told her. Running towards the wall all four jumped into the safety of another dimension.

            They landed on the marble floor of the Hyperion. The advancing demon army was no where to be found. Outside the large glass double doors the sun was shining and birds were signing. There were no signs of the battle, only a calming stillness surrounded them.

            "Are we in heaven?" Gunn asked, still groggy and weak.

            "No." Illyria answered.

            "Oh God, are we in Hell? Cause if we are, I'm not going in the damn basement."

            "No, we are not in Hell." She answered him again.

            "Well then?" Angel asked while getting to his feet.

            "We are safe…for now. This was planned. After you left earlier today, Wesley….he…" she looked at the ground and then at the ceiling as if she were searching for something that couldn't be found. Looking as if she gave up, she continued. "He spoke of a plan.  He said that no one could be left behind."

             Spike spoke up. "He restored your power."

             She nodded. "He gave me just enough. He had no illusions about winning this fight. He knew the risks involved. He knew we would lose with what we had." She looked at the floor again and then straight ahead at the group. When she spoke she spoke with a firm, hard tone. "He did not want to die, but it was obvious that he did not want to live. He was a walking contradiction.  But he was clear that he did not want any of you to suffer."  She paused for a moment and then continued. "You all thought of me as a great evil. And a large part of me is still the same, yet now you considered me good. Evil seems to be merely a matter of perception." She grew quite and stared at the floor as if it would give her answers to questions she couldn't vocalize.

             After a moment Angel spoke up "We will miss him too."  She didn't answer with words, but looked up at him with her crystal blue eyes. There was sadness in them he had not seen before.

            Spike and Illyria were sitting next to each other on the floor; Gunn was lying next to her when Spike finally stood up. He wobbled a bit at first, but then gained his balance and stood with his feet firmly planted on the ground. "Well, what do we do now?" He looked down at Gunn "I think Charlie here might need a hospital."  It did not go unnoticed by Gunn that he was the only human among them. _How times have changed_ he thought.  He chuckled "And you thought I wouldn't last ten minutes." He coughed, his breathing was ragged. "I'll be fine, I just need to rest."

            Spike pointed out the obvious "No, _I_ just need some rest; _you_ need a damn body cast and a couple gallons of O neg."

            "Well, yah, maybe." He admitted smiling slightly.  "But you don't look so hot either Blondie."

            Angel surveyed the group, they were beaten and broken but they were alive. He wished he could say that everyone made it. He assumed that Lorne was still out there somewhere. But not Wes, which broke one more piece of him inside.  There was a deep feeling of loss in him along with an even deeper feeling of guilt. He knew that Wes was broken long before this fight, not that it made it any easier to accept, but Lorne had caught him off guard. He wished he had paid more attention to them both.

He didn't have time to dwell on it now, so he did the only thing he could do, he went back into the role of the leader "What is important right now is that the four of us are alive. We are not going to lose anyone else. All we have is each other.  We are _NOT_…" He reiterated his words pointing his finger towards the floor they way he does when he is trying to make a very clear point "…going to lose anyone else." He paused for a moment taking time to look at everyone then continued "We are going to get better, and we are going to regroup. They may have one the battle, but the war has just begun."

TBC…


	2. Do I Know You?

**A/N:** For the purpose of this story I am going to ignore the fact the Buffy died at the end of season five on BTVS. Because really, it is already confusing enough without throwing that in the mix. Questions and comments always welcome. Hope you enjoy!

* * *

Angel, Gunn, Wesley, Cordelia, Lorne and Fred walked through the back garden of the Hyperion Hotel. Angel rushed in front of the gang "Oh, let me I wanna say it" he reached for the back door and walked in, the rest of the gang following right behind him. "There is no place like…" He stopped short when he saw what was before him. It was him, only slightly heavier and much more beat up. And as if that wasn't enough to cause immediate panic he then saw Spike walk out from behind the front desk.

"Whoa, what the hell is that about?" Spike asked swinging his head back and forth between the two Angels in front of him. "Frankly I am still having a hard enough time dealing with one of you." Then he saw the rest of them walk in. He turned to Angel "Not to mention…" He paused, pointing over to Gunn, Wesley, Lorne and Fred, took a moment then continued softly "….Well…the rest of them." The site of them standing there threw him for a loop. His first instinct was to run up and grab Fred in a big hug, swing her around and thank the heavens that she was there. Hell, he even wanted to hug Wesley. But they were different somehow, certainly not the people he remembered. So he held back and looked at the floor in silence unsure of how to react.

"Did something go wrong when we came back?" Cordelia asked "Maybe ended up in some sort of weird dimension where Angel and Spike are like…together…or something." That caused Spike to pick his head up and shoot her a look _'Not that much different from what I remember though'_ he thought. She looked over to see Spike and the other Angel starring at her like she was completely nuts.

"And they what, pass their time by kicking the crap out of each other?" Gunn added looking at the two battered vampires.

"Well it's not like Vampires are known for the soft touch, and if that is like their thing or whatever, I'm not one to judge." She said holding her hands up trying to reassure them that it was OK. Her mind then shifted gears and she added quickly, "Hey, do you think maybe I'm a princess here too?"

"Ok, look that is not our _thing _and Spike and I are NOT together. Something is clearly wrong here." The more beaten of the two Angel's said.

Lorne went to open his mouth just as everyone's attention turned to someone entering the front door of the Hotel lobby. "Well isn't this an interesting turn of events." He said to himself more than anything else when he found himself looking at a very blue, very Fred-like creature.

"I deposited Gunn at the hospital as you requested." She looked around, and looked back at Spike clearly confused. She started to say something but Gunn cut her off. "Hold on a second there Blue Steel, I ain't at no damn hospital. I'm right here. And I don't know you, so don't go using my name."

Cordeila stepped forward "Hey did anyone else here notice…" She pointed her finger back and forth between Fred and Illyria with one eyebrow raised. "…Cause I'm saying, like except for the whole leather clad bringer of a an icy frozen death look, these two could be twins."

"Trust me, these two are not twins" Spike said dryly.

Still standing in at the back door, completely shocked Angel went on the defense. "Yah, and how would you know. You are probably here to torture me again. And why are you…" Pointing to the other Angel "…With him?" pointing to Spike. He glanced over at Illyria and then at Fred. "Oh God, I'm evil again. That has to be it. They are our evil twins. There is just no other reason I would be with the blonde crusader over there."

"Hey!" Spike looked up at him with an irritated glance

"Well look, I'm not really in the mood to get my throat ripped out right now." Cordelia said, holding her hands up to her neck as if demonstrating the international sign for choking "So how bout we just, you know, hold off on the killing for a while. It's been kind of a long day." Then as an after though added "Hey, where is my evil twin? How come I never get to be evil?"

Her words caused Angel to cringe inside. He missed her desperately. But he was also happy that she hadn't been there for the battle. If she was still alive he wasn't sure if he could have done what he did knowing that she might not have made it. Not that it was an easy decision with out her there. Then again if she had been there, there was a good chance that none of this would have happened at all.

Fred's words broke his concentration on the subject "I know I've been away for a while and all, but I don't remember being blue? Am I blue, cause sometimes in Pylea you just don't see things right, and it's possible I just forgot. But when I look at you, none of you are so that would mean it is just me and…." She trailed off as Illyria approached her. She hid behind Wesley, holding on to his waist. She muttered into his ear "But I don't think I'd wear that."

Illyria walked towards them, but she wasn't threatening. She walked past everyone until she reached Wesley and Fred. She cocked her head to the left and looked over at her world's Spike and Angel. Then back at Wesley, studying him with great intensity. He tried to back up, but Fred was still holding on to him. After a long pause Illyria looked back at Angel and Spike "He is not complete. His memories have not developed to the level I know." She said in a very matter of fact tone then turned her attention to Fred. She looked at her for a moment and then closed her eyes moving them back and forth behind her eyelids rapidly as if she was reading a book in her mind. After a long pause she opened them and looked right at her. "This was before." Then turned to Angel and Spike "I see it in her memories."

"And what exactly are you? A mind reader of some sort?" asked Wesley

She ignored Wesley's question. Looking to him and Gunn she continued "She views you as protectors" then turned to the other Angel "And you she desires." Fred whimpered, embarrassed.

Cordelia spoke up "Hey there now hold on just a minute…"

Illyria cut her off "You as a princess."

"Oh…really?" She beamed "Well, I mean I do possess several qualities one might find in royalty." She noticed that Angel was glaring at her "What?" she asked innocently.

The beaten Angel was getting annoyed with this situation. "Look, me and Spike, we're not evil. Sometimes I might question his sanity, but we are not evil."

"All evil people say that just before they eat you." Cordelia spat at him.

Angel shot her a look, rolled his eyes at her and then continued "But I think I figured this out. You guys just came back from Pylea, right? Through a portal. Well, we got here through a portal as well. The similar events must have linked us together somehow."

"You fancy yourself a portal expert now, do you mate?" Spike asked

"Oh and what you have a better idea as to what happened? I remember all of this. I remember coming home after out trip from Pylea and Fred being with us. We landed in Lorne's club. I've already lived this once before." His eyes fixated on Cordelia. When she caught him staring at her he reverted his gaze to the floor.

"That doesn't help explain why you are here." Replied the other Angel

Fred finally stepped out from behind Wesley "No, no he could be right, I mean if you guys really did come through a portal. If you factor in the energy it takes for the dimensional walls to shift along with redundancy rate of the interdemensional time flux, it could happen." She noticed everyone was staring at her. "I mean in theory." She finished quietly holding her hands up to her face, slipping back behind Wes.

"So are they evil or not?" Gunn asked "Cause this is getting old. And by the looks of them, they just got run over by the Mack truck from hell. And I've had just about enough of Hell for one week. Not to mention some form of me is in the hospital, which I gotta say is a little disconcerting."

"Ok, fine, if you already lived this before then you are basically the future of our Angel." Wesley reasoned. "So then you tell us why exactly are you with Spike, because if I do recall, he doesn't exactly fight on the side of good. And if you guys are from the future were is everybody else? Why is Gunn in the hospital?" He stopped and stared at them, waiting for answers

The two vampires looked at each other uncomfortably. There were just no words for what the truth really was. Both stood in front of the crowd with intense gazes locked on them. Spike's heart sank and he could tell from the look on Angel's face he may probably felt even worse.

After a long moment a very confused Fred spoke quietly. "And can one of yall tell me why the other me is blue, cause I'm still a little confused about that."

This was not going to be easy.

TBC….


	3. Old Times

Angel was sitting behind the old desk in his former office. He felt safe and comforted inside the rich and familiar green walls that surrounded him. Those were things he hadn't felt in quite sometime. Wesley and Cordelia were in front of him and there was an intense silence hanging between the three.

Angel had tried to explain everything as clearly as he could. But he did leave out some details along the way, like for instance, Connor, and Cordelia becoming all crazy evil. But he felt what he did tell them was certainly enough. Spike had tried to help him explain things but seemed to only make the entire situation worse with his off the cuff remarks such as "Well, if you think that's bad, Wes offed his Dad." In response to him trying to explain Illyria's earlier speech about why she still feels the world should grovel before her. Needless to say he told them to both stop helping.

And now here were two of his fallen in front of him. For a long time they had both sat, but now Wesley was up and pacing about the room. On the other side of the small office was Cordelia who was holding her head in her hands with her elbows propped up on her knees.

"So, one more time again, let me get this straight…" Cordelia said looking up "Were dead." She gestured to herself and Wes

"Yes."

"And Fred is dead too, but her body was inhabited by some sort of super old demon from the past with a penitent for leather catsuits."

"Yes" he replied again exhaling

Wesley joined in, "And Spike has a soul?"

"Yes, Spike has a soul."

"And Gunn…"

Angel cut him off. "Gunn had all the legal knowledge of pretty much every species of human and demon implanted in his brain. And now he is in the hospital because of a chance we took to try and overcome the impending Apocalypse that Wolfram and Hart is always going on and on about which, didn't necessarily go well for us. We have been over this already. _Several times_." He brought his hand up to the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes for a second.

"Okay, okay, look, I'm with you there" Cordelia said "but here is where I get a little thrown off." She paused then looked up at him with a lost expression on her face "We worked for _who_?"

Angel took a deep breath. They had been going around in circles like this for at least an hour. "Wolfram and Hart. Why is it easier for you two to accept death than to accept that?" he asked exasperated

"Well in all fairness Angel, it is Wolfram and Hart, it's not like you are saying we closed up shop and went to work at the local Dairy Queen." Replied Wesley

"I understand that it is hard to accept, but there were circumstances…"

"Which you have still yet to fully explain to us" broke in Wesley

"That man out there, Angel" Cordelia pointed outside the office into the lobby "That man would never work for Wolfram and Hart. Never."

"I'm not that man; not anymore. And there is no way I can go back to being that man again." He was both angry and quiet when he spoke. He just couldn't make them understand and even more frustrating was that part of him didn't understand either. He turned his back to them as tears began to form in his eyes, but he was determined not to let his emotions get the better of him.

* * *

On the other side of the door the other Angel was pacing in the lobby. Lorne was standing against the check in desk and Spike was sitting on the round ottoman-like sofa in the middle of the floor.

"A Soul?" Angel asked in disbelief. "You're not supposed to have a soul! I'm the vampire with a Soul. You're….you."

"Well Angel cakes, believe it. And not only is that a shock, but this boy can sing! That little number he did, well, it almost had me in tears!" the green demon said flapping his hands about as he spoke.

"Well just because you have a soul doesn't mean anything." He replied harshly pointing his finger at the blonde vampire

"Oh, but it does for you? Please, Angel, I saved the world! All noble and just, getting burned from the inside out. And where were you, but sitting behind a desk at Wolfram and Hart."

"That hasn't even happened yet! You can't use that as an example!"

Lorne stepped between them. "Okay, boys just calm down. We will figure something out. I'm quite sure that neither of you are evil so lets not go proving me wrong by killing each other." Lorne looked up to see Gunn coming from upstairs and he was grateful for the interruption.

Looking at Lorne, Gunn asked "What the hell are these two arguing about? And which one is that?" he asked pointing to Angel

"It's me Gunn. The other one is in there." Angel answered gesturing towards the conference room.

They had been in there for a while and he wondered what they were talking about. He wanted to be with them, but his other dimension self decided it was best if Spike was not with him. And there was no way he was going to leave him unattended to. That and it kinda squicked him to be looking at himself. After all the amount of times he saw his reflection in over 240 years, could be counted on one hand and even that was hard to handle.

"Well we need to color code you to or something. Kinda like those two up there." He pointed upstairs where Fred and Illyria were.

"You left Illyria alone with Fred?" asked Spike as if Gunn were nuts

"Well, yah, I mean you said she wasn't evil. And Fred seemed to really take to her. Kept babbling on about interdemensional whosa-whatsit or whatever. It is all over my head. Illyria didn't seem to mind her. She wasn't to crazy about the room though, all too small for her ass whooping self I suppose." He paused for a minute and finished making his way down the stairs. "So, now what are you two yelling about?"

"Spike has a soul." Angel spat out, and then as an afterthought added "Oh, and we work for Wolfram and Hart."

"Well, technically 'worked' would me a more appropriate word. After we tried to destroy them, well, I think it is fair to easy to say we received our final write up." Spike said sarcastically.

Gunn cut in "Whoa, back up a minute there" He turned and looked at Lorne "Did I just hear that correctly?" We worked for _who_."

"Oh you heard right cupcake. Trust me, I've seen it all and that is only the tip of the iceberg." Replied Lorne

"What is that supposed to mean?" Angel asked

"Honey, I'm not at liberty to say just yet. But all will be found out in due time. For now just count blessings that you are in the dark on this one. There is only so much one person can take." He smiled painfully thinking back to what he had seen of himself when Spike and Angel sang for him. At first he had been reluctant to hold anything back from the rest of the crew, but after seeing the story those two told he felt it was for the best. "Trust me."

* * *

Illyria stood by the window of Fred's new room starring into the vast expansion of the city. The tall buildings and street lights twinkled in the darkness of the night. Fred was standing by the bed putting away some things they had picked up for her on the way to the hotel.

"So, I'm still a little confused about this whole thing. Are you me? Or am I you? Or if I'm you or you're me does that mean that one of us doesn't really exist?" Illyria didn't answer her. Fred began to fold some clothes to put them in a drawer continuing "I wondered for a long time if I really existed but then they showed up to rescue me and I thought for sure this had to be real, well, not at first, but after a little while. You know?"

Illyria looked at her with cold blue eyes "You are an odd girl."

"Yah, I know, people keep saying that so I guess I should believe them." She paused as if thinking in depth about what she was going to say next and then continued "So, can you tell me how I came to be….um…blue?"

"I liquefied your insides until there was enough room inside you for my essence."

Fred looked at her wide eyed and blinked a few times thinking perhaps it wasn't the best idea to ask that question. Illyria then continued "Although I later found that this shell was not enough to hold me. My powers had to be diminished; otherwise I would have been ripped open from the power I contained inside."

Fred was unsure of what to say to that so she just went with the first thing she could think of stammering out "Oh…Well…that's nice." And then quickly changed the subject "So, you're like a god or something?"

"Or something." She answered solemnly returning her gaze to the window

"Does that mean you have like, special powers?" She asked turning back into her usual more chipper self. "When I was in Pylea I wished for special powers like everyday, like turn invisible or fly. It would be just wonderful to be able to fly, don't cha think? You could be like a bird and go anywhere you want without having to tell anybody anything. You could just escape, like magic. But not the bad magic that lands you in some hell place that you can't get out of." Illyria just starred at her for a moment and then turned back to the window. "Well, maybe it's not the same for you being a god and all." She finished quietly

"There is nothing I wish more than to escape the confines of these walls, but even the sky itself will not permit me to fly far enough. I fear I will never escape what I can not see."

"And what can't you see?" Fred asked interested

"The inside. I feel heavy and without guidance." She turned from the window to look at Fred "I should not care about these things, but the past events are now burned into my memory in a way that I can not escape. It is awkward and unpleasant. I wish for these feelings to end. I fear the past has more control then it should." Illyria quieted and turned back to looking out the window.

Fred thought for a moment about everything thing she had been through over the past five years. She sat down on the edge of the bed and looked over to her blue twin and said quietly "I know exactly what you mean."

TBC…


	4. Seconds

After everyone had decided to go to get some sleep for the night leaving Illyria alone and free to wander around the hotel. Eventually she was bored of starring at the dilapidated old walls and dingy carpets of the hotel hallways. So instead of sticking around she headed out into the dark, dank LA streets. She strolled along under the cover of night, encountering only a few awkward stares, until she reached the door of Gunn's hospital room.

And now she stood at the thin hospital curtain that separated her from his hospital bed, wondering what exactly she was doing there. She realized that in some way she felt like it was her responsibility to keep an eye on him mostly because some part of her felt that is what Wesley would have wanted her to do. Something caught her a bit off guard. She did not ever expect to actually care about what anyone else wanted, never mind act on behalf of it.

She pulled back the curtain to his room and walked next to his bed peering down at him. Looking at Gunn laying there, unconscious and near death gave more credence to her fear that the humanity she was now seeing in herself would end up being her own weakness.

She allowed her mind to wander back to Wesley. Marveling at what a different man was from the Wesley she met here. She had lived for more years than anyone in this dimension could image and was dead almost as long as that, and when she woke she still felt the same. It fascinated her to think that in a matter of years the man she knew was barely unrecognizable from the man he once was.

She stood alone in the room with her thoughts for a long while without any interruption. It was late, nearly 3 in the morning when she heard the door to his room creek open. She looked up to see Angel entering. Their eyes met with some surprise. Neither of them expected the other to be there.

"What are you doing here?" he asked quietly so as to not bring attention to them. It was clearly past visiting hours and he did not want to get kicked out. And he seriously doubted if he could make any of the hospital staff believe that he was a family member.

"I don't know." She answered honestly

"Does he seem better?"

"He hasn't moved, but I can sense that he is stronger than before."

"How long have you been here?"

"I'm not sure. An hour, two, maybe more." She looked confused and pained when she spoke.

"Do either of you two ever sleep?" came a voice from behind them breaking the serious mood between the two. They turned to see Spike standing in the door way. Angel brought a finger up to his lips to shush him.

"No, I have no need for it." Illyria answered simply. "Although I could if I choose to."

"What are you doing here Spike?" asked Angel

"Nothing." He looked over to see Angel starring at him "I mean…I couldn't sleep, there is too much going on up here, you know?" He gestured to his head.

"I do." Answered Illyria much to the shock of both of them.

The three of them stood in the room silently until the sun threatened to rise forcing them to leave their friend behind and return to the hotel.

It was early morning when they returned to the Hyperion. They stood in the lobby for a moment silently, no one exactly sure of what to say. All three felt a bit broken and lost.

Finally Spike spoke up "He will get better you know."

"Will he?" Angel replied, a bit distressed

"I believe he will" Answered Illyria.

"Hey, and she's a god, so she knows." Said Spike, again trying to lighten things up.

The stillness of the large hotel lobby was broken suddenly when the phone rang. The three looked at each other, unsure if one of them should pick it up. Spike nodded his head and motioned to him in a 'go ahead and answer it' fashion.

"Angel Investigations, we help the helpless." Angel answered. The words felt good leaving his lips again. He almost wanted to smile. That was, until he heard the voice on the other end of the line.

"I…I…it's early. I'm sorry for calling. I was going to come down there, but…I'm sorry it's so early." Replied an anxious voice on the other line.

Angel's heart sank. "Willow?" He looked over to Spike who also looked like he was ready to fall apart.

"Yes. I wanted to wait until later to call you, but well…I'm sorry it's so early."

"It's ok, Willow, what's wrong." He asked the question full well knowing the answer, which only made it harder.

"It's Buffy…" She trailed off; he could tell her voice was straining to stay at a normal level.

"What's wrong Willow, what happened?" He felt sick to his stomach and quickly found a chair to sit down in. '_This shouldn't be this hard'_ he thought. He knew what was coming, he had this conversation before. But none of it registered. It felt like the first time. Even though he was sitting his knees were weak and his hands were shaking.

"There was a fight, a big one. And Buffy, she…she…"

"She didn't make it did she?" he finished for her. He felt tears well up in his eyes. He looked over to Spike and saw him sitting on the floor with his back against the wall. He was holding his knees up to his chest and had his head buried in-between them.

"I'm sorry Angel, I am, I'm so sorry. I should have come there. It wasn't right to do this over the phone. She was so brave. She saved the world, she saved everyone…you would have been so proud of her." He could hear her crying over the receiver of the phone. "I would have come there. But Dawn… I couldn't leave her."

"It's ok, I have to go, I'll talk to you later." He mumbled incoherently into the receiver. He didn't wait for her response. He clicked the receiver down and walked into the office and shut the door behind him without saying a word.

Illyria looked over to Spike "I recognize this." She said to him.

"Do you?" he asked looking up at her tears falling freely from his eyes.

"Yes. Grief." She paused "Is it any easier the second time?"

"No, it's not" he answered harshly, but then thought for a moment. "Actually…" he stood up and made his way towards the office door. "Angel! Angel!" he screamed into the door. He tried to turn the handle, but found that it was locked. "Get out here, NOW!" He stopped for a moment to listen and see if Angel was heading his calls, but heard nothing, so again he began to scream and bang at the door. "Angel, I saw you go in there now OPEN THE BLOODY DOOR!" Suddenly the door flung open in front of him.

"What do you want?" barked Angel. His face was red and stained with tears. His eyes were glazed over.

"Don't you see?" Spike asked like a madman "We can change it; we can change all of it. The things we know, they haven't happened yet. We can prevent them from happening now."

Angel just starred at him through watery eyes.

"Buffy died, I was there when it happened; I saw it all right in front of me. I would have given my life to take those moments back. I would have given anything."

"It is not your place to change what has already come to pass." Noted Illyria

Spike shot daggers at her "I don't think you are one to be talking."

"You should take heed from the lessons I've learned." She responded

"Well, no offence, pet, but you are just one glaring example of we shouldn't." If Spike didn't know better he would swear he hurt her feelings. Illyria retracted herself from the conversation and fell back into the shadows of the room.

"You can't save Buffy, Spike. Neither of us can, she is already gone." Cut in Angel.

"Your right, I can't, but I can prevent her from coming back. It was hell for her Angel, it wasn't right to do that to her. I can go and talk to Willow, she'll listen to me. I know what they will be planning to do, even before they do. She'll have to listen to me." He sounded as if he was trying to convince himself.

"So, what, you think you are just going to march into Sunnydale and say, 'Oh, hi everyone, I'm Spike from the future. Now I know you all trust the current me so much, that I would make a quick stop by to say don't resurrect your dead friend?' Oh, yah, they'll buy that alright." Angel was near yelling at Spike

"And what is your suggestion? Do nothing, just let our friends suffer and die?"

"No, of course not, it's just that we don't know what kind of effect making changes will have. What if by trying to make it better we make it worse? I don't want my friends to die, but I also don't want to change their future into some kind of weird hell place cause we decided that things need changing."

"Well, I can't just do nothing, regardless of how much reason you put behind it. Right or wrong, I have to at least try."

A voice came from the hotel lobby "I think someone should explain to me what is going on before I have to figure it out on my own."

They turned to find the other Angel standing there. Angel stepped away from Spike and walked over to him. "You might want to take a seat for this. Something happened…." He paused taking time to look his other self right in the eye "its Buffy…"

TBC.

A/N - I know that I said I was going to ignore Buffy's death, but frankly I figured that just didn't make any darn sense in the long run, so I just found a differnt way to work it in. I hope it worked out well, I had a hard time figuring out exaclty what to do with it. So I appologize if it seems a bit all over the place. Thanks for reading and as always, questions or comments are always welcomed and appreciated.


	5. Bonding

"It's not about brains, not logic. Not about waiting to suss out the consequences. Why don't you ever understand that? It's about love, passion, the kind that grips you and won't let go." Those were the last words Spike had with him before leaving for Sunnydale, even after all of Angel's protesting. That was a week ago. He thought about calling Willow to warn them, but ultimately decided against it. What would he really say to explain it?  
  
Since Spike left he found that his mind wandered more than he felt it should. Sharp, deep intakes of unnecessary breath immediately followed images that flashed though his brain. Connor, Cordelia, Fred, Wesley. He couldn't make it stop. He couldn't escape himself. And even worse than that was the constant and ever present reminder of what he was and what he had turned into.  
  
He tried to avoid his other, younger, self and hide in a room that he had chosen. Dark maroon walls and deep black velvet curtains encased him giving him a certain sense of privacy that he had been sorely lacking since they arrived. Illyria still barged into his room uninvited, although to be fair, not totally unwanted. Her frank and often, at least to the others, unwelcomed truths often gave him an odd sense of comfort. They often went to visit Gunn during the night went the others were either preoccupied or sleeping. No one really seemed to mind their absence, or notice. It seemed like they didn't much like them around anyway. He couldn't really blame them; all they ever had to give was bad news.  
  
He thinks the Buffy thing was what really did it. At first no one believed him - again he couldn't blame them. There were fights, fists, fangs and blood. He was surprised at how much blood there had been. Of course it was all from him and his other self, and a little from Spike, who mostly just seemed happy to hit them both. But most was from him. He felt like it was right for him to get beat down, like somehow he deserved it. Cordeila tried in vain to break them up. The others just let them have at it, as if they knew it was a necessary evil. He remembered a time during his idealistic phase when he thought there was no such thing. A lot has changed. A lot.  
  
There was a knock at his door breaking him out of his reverie. "What?" he sounded harsh and angry, he wasn't sure why, he felt more tired and broken than angry.  
  
"Open the door." It was Cordeila "And don't say no, I have a key."  
  
He got up out of the chair he had been wasting his time in and walked over to the door. He opened it sharply and stood covering the entrance to his room. He sighed heavily "What do you want Cordelia?"  
  
"Nothing." She said, almost as if she were insulted. Then pushed past him and entered the room, even though she knew he was trying to avoid that. "Here." She presented him with a mug of warmed blood. "I thought you might want some." She smiled at him. And when she did it lit up his dark world for a moment.  
  
He took the mug from her and peered into it, examining its contents like they were a mystery. He looked up at her "Uh...thanks." He fidgeted the mug around in his hands anxiously. He had been trying to avoid being alone with her. He wasn't totally sure why.  
  
"Look Angel, we have to talk." Once she said those words he it suddenly came to him why he had been avoiding her. What did she want him to say? None of it was going to be good. Nothing had been good for a long time. "I don't know if you are trying to go for the Gold in the brooding Olympics or something, but you staying locked up in this room all day and all night isn't a good thing."  
  
He walked slowly back to the chair he was sitting in and placed the mug down on an adjacent table. When she walked in the room he caught the smell of citrus and honey from her. It reminded him of a long time ago, or actually, right now. Everything was so confusing.  
  
Cordelia walked further into the room approaching him with what he took as caution. _'Is she afraid of me?'  
_  
"Angel?" he was lost in thought, not really paying attention to her  
  
"Yah, what do you want to talk about?"  
  
She hesitated. "What – what else happened? I've thought it over for a while now and what you are saying just doesn't add up. I need to know what caused all of this to happen, and I need to know it now."  
  
He plopped himself down in the chair again and sighed as he did so. "Your right, there is more to tell, but I'm not really sure you want to know it."  
  
"It's bad, huh?" She sounded innocent "Of course it's bad, why you would keep fluffy puppy secrets from us?" She was talking to herself  
  
He just gave her a long, confused yet interested gaze as a response. Of all the things that amazed him the one thing that seemed to hit the hardest and most often was how much he missed her. She was beautiful with sun kissed skin and golden highlights. He remembered not letting her know how much he cared when he had the chance. Maybe he could make up for that now?  
  
"I'm not leaving this room until you tell me something, so spit it out mister."

* * *

Illyria walked behind Wesley who was looking more than a bit frazzled at this point. They had gotten a case about what they figured to be a nest of Funglak demons. However they had been unsuccessful in tracking them down. He was pulling out another book from the book shelves that was looking more and more bare as they ended up gathered around the office desk.  
  
"If you tell me what you are looking for I can help. I know things." Illyria stated, he voice smooth and even.  
  
"You want to help?" his voice held a bit of surprise  
  
"Is there something inappropriate about that?"  
  
"No, no, of course not, it's just that from what I've gathered you seem to think all of our effort is futile." He starred at her quizzically, trying to get a read on what she was looking for.  
  
"It is. But I have learned that this does not detract from your mission."  
  
Wes looked up from his book "In the end for you, back there, was that what it was? Futile?"  
  
"Yes." She closed her eyes for a moment and remembered the past events. The only one that stood out was the only one that always stood out, and that was Wesley. Bleeding and dying and beautiful - the only thing that mattered to her. "You died as I held you. I felt your life pass beneath my hands. The blood was warm and smooth; it was consuming."  
  
He was silent when she looked over at him, waiting for him to say something. He wasn't sure what though. What could he really say? Was he supposed to make her feel better? Did she even have feelings? "Well, death doesn't make a cause futile, Illyria."  
  
He sounded like an instructor, which made her smile inside. Her eyes locked on his. They were blue like the sky and held a sparkle that she hadn't seen before. She wished her own held the same glint of light. "What good did your death bring?" She was mad, her voice moved from its steady tone in to something with a bit of an edge. She didn't really understand why he made her feel these things.  
  
"I don't know. I wasn't there."  
  
"But you were." She stepped closed, with only the desk now separating them "You were just buried deep inside. I didn't recognize it then, but it was you that I saw in the final moments."  
  
"What changed?" This conversation was so morbid. He didn't necessarily want to participate, but it was too late now.  
  
The answer came simple and quick "Love"  
  
Her answer caused him to look down at the books in front of him. He felt embarrassed "For you?"  
  
"No, for her." She gestured to her form.  
  
_'Fred.'_ He didn't say anything. Just stood there silently looking at his books, playing with the edge of a page. His mind finished the war it was waging on it's self he sighed slightly, looked up at her and said "It's a Funglak demon. Do you know anything about them?"  
  
He was quiet and timid and blindingly perfect. She wondered if she had offended him and thought she should ask him, but allowed him to change the subject. "I do, would you like to know?"  
  
"Yes, please."

* * *

"Please don't be mad at me." Angel pleaded with her  
  
"You slept with Darla! Jesus Angel! What were you thinking?!"  
  
"I wasn't. I was upset, she had come back and you guys were gone..." He though for a moment "It wasn't one of my shining moments. I consider it a beige phase."  
  
"We weren't just gone, you FIRED us! It is a good thing you are not human cause if you knocked up your little hussy of the night I would have never let you hear the end of it."  
  
He didn't say a word. He just sat there swirling the remaining blood around in his cup and averted her increasingly piercing stare.  
  
"Oh my great god in heaven! What did you do? You didn't do what I think you did, did you? You couldn't of, could you? I mean, no?" He looked up at her with pleading brown eyes "NO! No way!" she shrieked out

* * *

"They are arguing." Illyria looked up from her research book that Wesley had assigned to her.  
  
"Hmmm?" replied Wesley, pen in mouth and 3 different books opened up in front of him  
  
"Angel and Cordelia, they are arguing upstairs, I can hear them."  
  
"I don't hear anything."  
  
"You are not me."  
  
He contemplated that for a moment. _That's a good thing_. "Should we...maybe...go up and find out if everything is ok?"  
  
"Probably not. They are discussing the theft of the child. As I recall you don't care for that memory much."  
  
He dropped his pen and looked up at her alarmed. "The theft of whose child?"  
  
"Angel's"  
  
"I think we should go upstairs."  
  
TBC... 

**A/N:** Sorry it took so long for this chapter. I had to find a certain level of inspiration and it took longer the I anticipated. I know a lot of the information in here was not exactly new, since it happened already, so I hope I captured a less then boring view of the events. As always any questions suggestions or comments are always appreciated. If you would rather email me you can catch me at pnkrkrlz hotmail.com. Hope you enjoyed the read.


	6. You Can't Run

Cordelia's ear piercing scream rang out through the otherwise still and quite hotel lobby. She gripped her head, her knees buckled and she fell crashing to the floor. With in seconds both Angels were by her side sharing the job of holding her steady.

"I'm fine, fine." She said squirming from their grips. She held on to the back of her head, and began to stand on her still rather unsteady legs. She hated to be babied no matter how much pain the visions caused. She found a chair and parked herself down still rubbing the back of her head. She looked up at both Angels with fear piercing her eyes. "It's about you" she motioned to Angel and Gunn, who had been let out of the hospital a week ago. "All of you. And us. Oh, god, it is like a nightmare." The images were still rushing into her brain. She wrapped both arms around herself trying to quell the fear rising inside her. It was of little use.

Lorne walked in "What's up kiddies." Appraising his surroundings he changed his tone "Oh." Turning his attention to Cordelia "Oh! Oh! Honey this is not good. Your aura is just screaming help me! And make it quick!"

Cordelia gave him an annoyed glance. The visions were not getting easier and the panic that inevitably accompanied them always made it worse. This one was particularly bad. Her own thoughts running around in her head only added fuel to the fire.

"Where's Wesley, I want to talk Wesley." She sounded panicked. Angel went to reach for her but she pulled back further into the chair. He looked a little stunned. Did she not trust him?

Everyone looked around for a moment. It was a rather unusual request for her to make. Not that her and Wesley weren't close, but she never previously called for him when she was in a state of distress. After a moment Gunn went of to get him stating they would be right back.

Gunn ran upstairs to Fred's room. He wasn't necessarily shocked to find that Wes had created quite the bond with Fred and Illyria during his stay in the hospital. But he wasn't really sure how to feel about that. He knew he had no claim on her, but Fred was his girl too. During his stay in the hospital he had a lot of time to reflect on their past. Although it probably wasn't very fair to Wesley, he hoped he could make at least part of that past change for the better when it came to him and Fred. However, now was not the time for jealous thoughts. He knocked on the door "Wes, you in there?" He heard Fred giggle a bit. He called again "Wes?"

Illyria opened the door sharply "Gunn." Very much a statement.

"I need Wes, he in there?"

"I'm here Gunn, what do you need." He was still slightly laughing at whatever story they had been sharing.

"It's Cordy; she had a vision, and not a good one from the sounds of it. She is asking for you."

He sobered up a bit. "Of course, let's go."

* * *

"…I don't know if any of it did any bloody good. I think I chickened out. I didn't say enough. Maybe I should go back!" Spike was talking himself in circles sloshing though the sewers of Downtown LA, battle axe in one hand.

"All I asked was how you were doing." Replied a bewildered Gunn. The two were out on patrol for the latest big nasty. They ended up together pretty much by default. Spike just wanted to kill something and Gunn couldn't bring himself to deal with….himself. Well, the himself that just got out of the hospital. It reminded him all too much that he was mortal, not the big, undying hero he feels like in a fight. It was a little too much reality for him.

"I guess it has been on my mind a bit."

"Well, what happened out there in good old Hellmouth, USA anyway?" The stopped walking, reaching a fork in the sewer path. Gunn motioned with his sword "Left or right?"

Spike closed his eyes took in a deep breath and tried to sense something, anything, that would put them closer to the trail of the demons they were chasing. After a moment of thought "Right." They stepped into the tunnel. "I went to see myself. Try to convince me to do the right thing. To step in and make it right, you know?" He lifted his battle ax shaking it the air with his fist.

"And?"

"I got to myself. It was weird. There I was looking at me, all blonde and handsome; I never get to look at me so it was kinda nice. Now I see why all the ladies love me so much." He rubbed free hand over his chest.

"Spike, back on topic please, save your 'I'm so handsome' speech for the ladies, I'm sure they'll love it" He rolled his eyes adding a clearly sarcastic edge to the end of that sentence, to which Spike shot an evil glare back at him for.

"Anyway…So there I was. Trying to do the right, noble thing. I always said back then that if I knew any part of what they were planning with Buffy I wouldn't have let them do it. It was wrong and all that."

"And what do you think now?"

"It's hard man, you know. I mean I love her. I know none of you believe me, but I did and I still do. S'not the same of course, but I still do, always will. And I know that I was the cause of some of the pain that happened to her when she came back. I didn't want that again. Not for her and not for me." He was clearly pained recalling the events of the last few years. But he put on a brave face, took in a deep breath and continued with his story. "So I said, 'look Spikey you've got some decisions to make, some hard choices'. I told him what happened. And I didn't leave anything, no glossing anything over. Let him know about Buffy coming back, our…connection after she does. Red going all crazy evil after Tara dies, how Tara dies. I let him know straight off everything that shouldn't have happened, but did. Nothing but the hard truth. It's what I needed to hear."

"You told yourself that you were burned from the inside out and sent to Hell?"

"Ok, maybe I glossed over that part, but that was it!"

"So what do you think you decided?" Gunn paused "Is this whole conversation a little confusing or is it me?"

"No, Charlie boy the whole damn situation is confusing; I'm with you on that. And I'm not really sure what was decided after I left. The truth is, without Buffy we wouldn't have made it through that fight with the First. It's a hard choice to make. I'm glad it's not me."

"It is you Spike. And how do you know that the First would even come back if Buffy was never brought back?"

Spike thought for a moment. This was perplexing to him. Did Buffy cause the first to attack? Maybe not Buffy herself, but the events around her? This was just too much for him. He hoped that the Spike he left back in Sunnydale would make the right decisions about what to do next.

His little trip back in time was a bit shocking. He was never one to forget the bad times just because they were bad, but he did forget how bad it _was. _He was soulless back then, but as he now recalled clearly it was probably the time his soul hurt the most, if that was at all possible.

Spike noticed that in all his thought he stopped moving forward and was now standing in quite a nasty pile of something. He preferred not to know exactly what.

Gunn called to him "Spike…Look!"

"I know…I know, I see it. I wish you told me before I stepped in it." He lifted up his feet trying to escape the nastiness below him.

"No, not that, THAT!" Spike looked up to see three demons advancing on him.

"Oh, crap."

* * *

Wes had pulled Cordelia into the office and closed the door behind them. She seemed much calmer now that just the two of them were alone.

"Cordelia, what is going on? What did you see?" Wes was trying to be calm and soothing, but the truth was that he was a bit alarmed. She seemed particularly distressed and clearly did not want any part of anyone else except him. That, to say the least caught him a bit off guard.

"I saw it Wes, and it was horrible."

"Saw what?"

"The future. Where they came from. What they fought. What is still there. It's a nightmare Wes. It's worse that a nightmare. It's like a nightmare's, nightmare."

Wesley starred at her, not sure what to say. Finally "Why me, what couldn't you tell the others?"

"They were all there. Fighting, bleeding, dying. I can't look at them without seeing it."

"But not me." He was quite, knowing the reason he didn't make a cameo in her vision. She didn't have words to respond she just looked up with watery eyes, blinking back tears. "Lorne?" he asked her, "What about him?"

"He sees it in me. It's like these images are trying to jump out of my brain and I can't make it stop. It's not like the other visions." She looked up at him again, tears falling down her face "Please Wes, please make it stop."

He got up from behind the desk and went over to where she was sitting. He bent down to be face to face with her. Lightly smoothing her hair back. "It will be okay Cordy, just start from the beginning and tell me what you saw. We will make it right. I promise."

"It was different when Angel told us what happened. It wasn't real; I didn't have pictures dancing in front of me of all my friends dying. But it was even more than that Wes; it was what happened after they left…." She paused, mentally preparing to continue "The demons, they didn't' stop. They are going to come after us. They are going to find us here and we can't fight it, we can't win. Wesley, it was worse then seeing what already happened to them. I saw what is going to happen to us."

* * *

Gunn ran forward and swung his sword swiftly decapitating the first and closest of the three demons. They were large, green skinned with huge protruding teeth, almost like that of a Boar. They were big, and menacing, but not very fast, allowing the two skilled fighters a bit of an upper hand.

Spike steadied his battle axe, took a moment to focus and flung it towards an oncoming demon splitting his head in to. He yelled out proudly at his gruesome accomplishment, very pleased with himself. "Hey!" Gunn called out from behind him. Spike smashed the third and final demon in the face with his fists and turned to grab the sword Gunn was offering him. He pulled his arm back and ran the demon through. Upon pulling out the sword the demon fell into a dead lump on the floor.

"Well, that wasn't so difficult now was it?" Spike handed the sword back to Gunn and went to retrieve his axe which was still firmly lodged in the head of a demon.

"Yah, we are one hell of a team" Gunn held up his hand and Spike swung his up as well with the two landing in a firm SLAP of male pride.

"Damn right, not afraid to get down and dirty. No worries about any nancy boy hair gel or scuffing up our shoes." Spike was waving his axe around demonstrating his skilled fighting ability on an invisible entity in front of him

"Uh…Spike"

"You and me Charlie, we're a team; I always liked you best anyway."

"SPIKE!"

"Of the guys of course, you know what I'm saying'."

"Spike, run, now!"

Spike turned around to see an uncountable number of demons becoming visible around a turn in the sewer. Big, small, green, purple, blue, some of species he recognized, some he didn't. More disconcerting that that was some had weapons, and it was clear who the target of the mob was. "Oh, balls." They were brave, but not stupid. Seeing that they were clearly outnumbered they took off down the sewer tunnels running as fast as they could.

* * *

After about a half hour of stillness in the hotel lobby Wesley finally exited the office room. Cordelia was still in there trying to collect herself fully before having to face any of her friends.

Angel ran up to him, he wasn't sure which Angel it was, and decided that it really didn't matter anyway. "What happened? Is she okay? What did she see? Is she okay?"

Wes smiled lightly "She will be fine. Just give her some time." He looked around and noticed that Illyria and Fred had joined the rest of the gang in the lobby. He smiled at them both. Fred was practically hiding behind Illyria, not quite ready to come out into the world fully. Illyria, however, seemed fully willing to protect her, which considering the circumstances of them both was….odd.

Upon her eyes meeting his Illyria spoke up "She has seen where we came from."

"Yes."

"And where we will be." She wasn't asking, and it was clear that she wasn't talking about the future they came from, but of the future that they will create.

"Yes." His eyes never left hers.

"Hey, you guys feel like filling the rest of us in?" Gunn moved his gaze from Illyria to Wes

"Where exactly will we be?" Asked an equally confused Angel.

Fred peaked out from behind Illyria, still holding on to her shoulders. She was quite and meek when she spoke, but still telling "Hell." They all looked at her "Not Hell, Hell, but Hell on earth. The Hell you all escaped. It is coming for us, isn't it?"

Cordelia was standing in the office door way listening to their conversation. "That's what it seems like." She added "But, if you don't mind me asking, how did you two know?"

"I am not stupid." Replied Illyria "You can not run from what seeks to destroy you. Only buy time."

"I just imagined the worst possible scenario I could." Fred ducked back behind Illyria

"Oh." Cordelia responded, convinced enough

Lorne held up his seabreeze as if asking permission from the teacher to speak "Well, that's great, but what are we…"

The doors to the Hyperion flew open in a crash "Demons! Demons they are…coming…after us…." Gunn was breathing heavy, holding his hands on his knees trying to catch his breath.

Spike ran in behind him "I think we lost them back there some where. Man what a rush!"

Lorne took a sip from his seabeeze and looked over at the two worse for wear men. "From the looks of those two, I would say Hell just handed us a party invitation with mandatory attendance required."

TBC…

**A/N:** I just want to say that I thoroughly enjoyed writing this chapter and I hope you all enjoyed it as well. As always thank you for reading!


	7. The Plan Revisited

The day had come and went as darkness fell over Los Angels. Seeking refuge from the others Gunn, Illyria, Spike and Angel were walking through the sewers underneath the city. For a long time they were silent. Nothing but the sloshing of shoes in the water beneath them at a steady and hypnotizing pace. Finally, upon reaching the end of a tunnel, Angel, who was leading the group, stopped and turned to the others.

"We far enough away now?" asked his blonde haired vampire counterpart.

"What exactly are we trying to get away from anyway? Haven't we done enough running?" Asked Gunn

"Were not running, or trying to get away. I just needed some time to think. I needed for the four of us, on our own, to at least come up with some plan of attack. We brought this to them. I'm not just gonna let everybody die again. They didn't ask for this. We need to think of something."

"Symantec's. Yours, ours, theirs, it is all the same. They created what we are. And we created what they will be. We are not just in a war with the enemy; we are in a war with ourselves." Illyria silenced herself, but did not pull her gaze away from Angel. He felt as if her blue eyes were boring straight into his soul, he wondered if she saw how broken it was. He also wondered when exactly she became so insightful on the human experience. Perhaps the time spent with Fred and Wes provided her with more than just a daytime distraction.

"Well, listen to Blue over there all full of insight. Seems you're not such a mystery after all, now are you Mr. Big and Broody."

"Shut up Spike."

"No one ever appreciates me."

"Well, I don't care who we are fighting. I just want to get this over with and move on." Gunn added, a bit annoyed

"I think that is part of the question, isn't it, mate. What do we do if there is nothing to move on to?"

Angel thought for a moment and then remembered something from a long time ago. Something that he hadn't given any thought to in a long while. And in that thought it triggered an idea. "I remember realizing that if nothing we do matters, then all that matters is what we do. And it just hit me; I think it is time we do something. Here's the plan. Illyria…"

* * *

Lorne hung up the phone and looked over to see Angel and Cordelia "I had to call in a big favor for this one, so let's not blow it, okay?"

"What would I do?" Cordelia asked, insulted that he would think she could every offend anyone.

"Don't worry you pretty little head over there, Miss. Tact. It's not just your people skills I'm worried about. Now you my little cream puff, you need to put on a happy face for just a little while."

Angel crossed his arms belligerently and starred at him.

"For goodness sake, Angel would it kill you to smile for like 5 seconds. I mean really the world won't end."

"I smile"

"Yah, when?" Lorne Challenged

Angel thought for a moment. He went to open his mouth, but closed it quickly deciding against it.

"Look, all I'm asking is for a little courtesy 'hey have a nice day' or maybe a 'thank you for helping protect our very lives' you know, something like that." He waved his hands in the air to elaborate his point.

"I may be antisocial, but I'm not rude." He shot a look at Cordelia

"Hey! It's not my fault I call it like I see it. Some people just have hard time accepting the truth."

"Yes, yes, you're both real humanitarians. The Furies should be here tomorrow night. Let's just try not to comment on their outfits not matter what we think..." he shot a look at Cordelia "…Or try to kill them, they are not the enemy, okay?" he finished, looking at Angel.

"Whatever" they replied in unison.

* * *

It was morning. The sun was shining and the sky was a crisp clear blue. Cars flew behind her as she entered the Wolfram and Hart law firm. She took a moment to stare at the sign at the entrance of the building and the continued on her way into the firm.

People were passing her buy in expensive shoes and suits not giving her any notice, which was just they way she wanted it. No need to be seen until it was necessary. Just blend.

She approached the receptionist seated behind a large desk. "Can I help you Miss?" the woman asked politely enough.

"I…I don't know. I 'm lost. I think I'm lost. I've been gone for so long and then all of a sudden...POOF! Here I am again." Fred held her hands up to her face and giggled into them quite aware that she wasn't invisible any longer. She settled her nerves and continued. "Only it's not like I remember it. There are things I don't understand. There are people that look like people, but there not."

The secretary raised an eyebrow and spoke in a slightly condescending tone "I'm not sure we are the people to help you miss. We are a law firm, and it sounds like you might need more than a lawyer."

"But these people, they keep talking about you, they think you're evil, but they are not right. Something is wrong with them. It's only when it's dark, or they think I'm not looking, but I can see it."

The receptionist looked one second away from calling security. "I know you think I'm crazy. Maybe I am, but I'm not wrong."

A voice came from behind her "That's right, your not." Fred swung around to see a hand being extended her way, which she grabbed a hold of and gave a quick shake. "Hi, I'm Lilah Morgan. Why don't you come with me? I am sure I can be of assistance."

A smile spread across Fred's face. "Thank you. That's very kind."

* * *

"Look at you all skin and bones. Would you like something to eat, drink?" Lilah asked ushering Fred into her office.

"Do you have an ice cream? I just love raspberry ice cream."

Lilah hit a button on her telephone "Barbara, can you please get me cup of raspberry ice cream please."

She looked up a Fred who quietly added "With sprinkles, too?"

Lilah echoed "With sprinkles"

"The multi colored kind?"

Lilah smiled at Fred "And please make those multicolored. Thanks Barbara." Lilah let go of the button and over her desk at Fred. "It might be a minute, kay?"

"Oh, that's fine. Thank you so much."

"No problem, we here at Wolfram and Hart aim to please. Now, while we are waiting why don't you fill me in on your problem?" Seeing that she looked a little overwhelmed Lilah coxed her on "I can't help if I don't know what is wrong, now can I?"

Fred took a deep breath and began her story "It all started just over five years ago. I was at the library reading a book when the next thing I know, I'm in the middle of a forest and there is nothing around for miles except trees and grass."

Barbara entered the room with her ice cream. Fred smiled widely and accepted the offering thanking the secretary for it on her way out.

As Fred continued with her story Lilah sat there looking completely engrossed with every word that passed her lips. And it truth for most of it she was. With the exceptions of her constant and completely non linear ramblings which forced Lilah to coax her back on track, it was a very good story to hear.

"Why don't you stay here for a minute, Fred. I am just going to confer with a colleague of mine and I will be right back. Okay?"

Fred shook her head yes as she ate up the last bite of sprinkled covered raspberry ice cream.

As soon as Lilah left the room she placed the empty cup down on the desk in front of her and made her way to the door. Cracking it open a bit she looked around outside to office to make sure Lilah was no where to be found. Quickly, but carefully she made her way out of the office and across the hallway to the elevator. She hit the 'Up' button and within seconds the elevator doors opened up to greet her. Thankfully there was no one inside.

She examined the list of buttons in front of her, closed her eyes for a second and then hit a pattern into the buttons symbolizing each floor of the office building. Without much surprise a white button appeared at the top. Looking pleased, she hit that one as well. Then slowly everything went into a white haze.

She stepped out into what some people might thing was an industrial version of heaven. White surrounded her at every angel. The only thing that held any contrast were what appeared to be steal beams above her, also white. As she stepped further into the area her shape slowly transformed from Fred into a very blue Illyria. She smiled. Her blue from contrasted quite nicely against the white backdrop.

"Well, your certainly not who you pretend to be, now are you?" Came a voice from behind her. She turned to see Wesley, or at least what appeared to be Wesley.

"Neither are you." She commented back to him

"No, I don't suppose I am, but I rather though you would appreciate this form. After all I am your guide, am I not?"

"Wesley's dead. Your magick tricks can not fool me."

"No they may not, but that isn't the point."

She cocked her head, trying to figure out exactly what the motivation of the conduit was to appear in this form. "You try to make me weak by playing on emotions. You will not succeed."

"Again, not the point."

"And what is your point."

"I think you know. You're the one that came to see me after all."

"I have no use for your games or your glamour's. I came here for information, which I know you have. And I do not intend to leave until I get it."

"You want to change the future? Or fix the past? However you feel like putting it. Isn't that it? _You _think you can make a difference. "

She just starred at him.

"I think you are confused. Poor little girl, so lost, so wrong. This world isn't what you want. It is bright and clean and full of everything you hate. The world we could create. The one that you started back there…" He waved his hand opening up a window to the ally behind the Hyperion. There they were fighting a battle they knew they would loose. She looked in for a moment then turned her attention back the conduit. He then continued "…That is the world you want. It's what you are used to. We will wipe out everything and it will be like before, in your time - in our time. Isn't that what you want?"

"No. What I want is gone, nothing more than ashes. Nothing you offer me will change that."

He closed the window with a flick of the wrist and looked slightly confused "Then I guess you should tell me then. Why are you here?"

"To get what I need."

Holding his stomach he gave a hearty laugh at that. So much so that the punch Illyria sent flying his way caught him completely off guard.

"You stopped laughing" Illyria commented, looking completely disappointed.

"Not to worry, it won't be for long."

Illyria held out her hand forcing time to slow down. "So you think." She was pleased. Her powers were the one thing that never disappointed her. She knew it wouldn't hold for long and made good use of what little time she had left. She held out her other hand opening a portal opened in front of her. Not very large or very clear as to what was on the other side, but it was all she needed.

She let her hand fall, closing the portal and turned her attention to the Conduit. Allowing him to come back into regular time, he was unaware that anything had just taken place. "I think it is time for you to go."

Illyria opened her mouth to begin mock protest, but realized before she could she was back in the elevator heading back down to Lilah's office. She smiled slyly. He thought he had won but she got everything she needed and a little bit more. By the time the doors opened she had morphed back into Fred. She stepped out of the elevator and began walking around looking lost.

She saw Lilah a little bit ahead of her "Fred! I was wondering where you went."

"I'm sorry, but I was trying to find the ladies room. It's my nerves. Hope I didn't cause you any problems."

"No, no of course not. But his place can be like a maze if you are not familiar with it. So don't go wandering off. Come on I'll show you the way."

"Thanks." She smiled to herself knowing that she could find her way around the building blindfolded, in the dark, drunk. But Lilah didn't need to know that and she had no intention of filling her in.

* * *

Later that afternoon Illyria walked back into the hotel lobby still sporting her Fredly appearance. Wes looked up from the book he was reading and smiled as he saw her walk in. "Fred! You went outside, how wonderful!" He ran to great her at the door to please with the fact that she ventured out of her room to really care that it wasn't very safe.

She smiled back at him, seeing such happiness in his eyes. She had grown close to him over the past few months. She realized her bond with him went much deeper than she expected. She wrote some of that off to his closeness with Fred, which, as much as she denied it, was at least a small part of who she still was. But most of the feeling was her own which she wasn't sure if she found comforting or not. Probably not.

When he reached her and he was still smiling she was afraid he would be disappointed when she changed back into her true form. She smiled at him and reached her hand out to his face, lightly touching his cheek. He looked down at her with wide eyes as she changed before him.

"Fascinating!" he sounded like a school boy that had just discovered girls weren't icky with a grin to match.

She turned her eyes away from his "You weren't meant to see. My Wesley didn't take as well to the other form." He noticed that when she spoke about his future self her eyes always changed. There was something behind them that seemed to come to the front, something she was tying to keep hidden. He felt sorry. He wanted to make it better. He was very confused.

"That's a neat little trick you got there Blue." Gunn said biting into an apple looking more weirded out then impressed.

"I'm glad you were amused."

"Yah, well, when are the Furies showing up anyway? It has been hours since Lorne called in that favor and I'm not feeling any protection."

"They should be here soon. Lorne took Angel and Cordy to get some supplies from the Occult Shop. They should be arriving back shortly as well."

Illyria looked confused "Furies?"

"They are going to put a spell on the hotel to protect us from demon violence. That way we will always have a safe place to come back to if it gets too rough out there."

"You are just doing this now. Would it not have made sense to always have this in place?"

Gunn and Wesley looked at each other. They didn't really have an answer for that.

"It is of no matter now. I wish to be alone." She walked away from the two men and towards her room upstairs.

"Friendly, huh?" Gunn said, finishing off his apple

Wesley just watched her walk away.

* * *

Illyria walked in the room and shut the door behind her, relieved to finally be alone. She still wasn't happy about the size of the room, but was managing to adjust to this life. She walked to the window and looked out onto the sunset. She didn't understand how a world that was so simple could house lives that were this complicated. One thing she was now certain of. She underestimated humanity.

"You were supposed to come tell us what happened." Angel had made his way into her room. She knew he was there before he spoke, but paid him no mind. She had no need for him right now.

She whipped her head around to look at him "You do not tell me what to do. I take orders from no one."

He sighed. She could be so difficult to deal with. Since they had come to this place they had become closer, which helped him deal with her most of the time. But right now he wasn't in the mood. "I'm not ordering you to do anything, Illyria. I just want to know what happened. That was the plan, remember?"

"I was able to open the passage. No one noticed." She turned back to the window. She seemed to have lost the normal boom she had to her voice. And although she hated to admit it to herself, the little encounter at Wolfram and Hart left her feeling a bit drained. She still had her powers, but they weren't what they used to be – what they should be.

"And the Conduit?"

She was quite. Not having any real answer to give him. When she was in the room with him she did not allow his appearance, or his words, to affect her. But now, well now she was time to reflect.

He prodded her "Illyria?"

"He underestimated me." That was all he was getting for an answer. She was done talking.

"Okay." Angel left the room not sure what to think. The little mission she went out on seemed to go well. And yet she seemed so…_sad_. Deciding that was not possible he continued on his way to find Spike and Gunn and fill them in on the day's events.

* * *

The front door to the Hyperion opened as if of its own accord. Seconds later 3 floating female figures entered the lobby.

"Good evening ladies" Greeted Wesley exiting the office with Gunn trailing right behind him.

"We've come..."

"…to perform…"

"…your spell."

The three sisters each took a turn speaking, as if they had one brain.

"Now I see why Lorne was going on about these ladies, they are quite the vision, aren't they?" Gunn gave a suave smile their way.

"You are not the ones…"

"…we seek."

"Where is Krevlorneswath?"

"He is out with Cordelia and Angel; they should be back in just a second." Answered Wesley

"Mmmmm. Angel" All three said in a dreamy tone.

Gunn looked at Wes with a raised eyebrow "They're starting to freak me out a little bit"

"Would you like anything while we wait?" Wes was trying to be polite, but really he hoped they would need anything since really, they had nothing to give.

"We cannot wait."

"The danger is everywhere."

"It approaches us now."

Just as the third sister finished speaking Angel burst through the door practically carrying Lorne and Cordelia.

"Good Lord!" Wesley ran towards Angel to assist with his burden asking what happen when he reached them.

"Mmmm. Angel" The three girls floated lazily in the air starring at Angel with lust filled eyes as if completely unaware of the situation around them.

Angel looked up and gave an awkward smile allowing Wesley and Gunn to help him with Cordy and Lorne. "We were attacked. Vampires, they came from everywhere. There must have been a dozen or more. Cordy got bit."

Cordy and Lorne were placed on the couch in the center of the lobby, both conscious but groggy. Gunn applied a bandage to her neck from the looks of it she will be weak for a bit, but should be fine. Lorne had a nasty gash on his forehead that Wesley was attending to.

"Here is the stuff you needed" Angel handed the closest sister the bag which he managed to keep in tact during the battle. "You'd better make it quick. I'm sure the next attack won't be far behind."

"We'll do your spell…"

"…but you will have to…"

"…repay our kindness."

"We know you can." They added together

The three hovered up above him with smiling lips and gleaming eyes. "Uh…of course." Sounding more like a question then an answer. He looked over to see Cordelia glaring at him. Even all bit and weak she could still make him feel like an ass with no problem what so ever. He smiled at her meekly. She rolled her eyes and looked away.

"What is going on down here?" Angel asked walking down the steps, Spike and Gunn behind him. He had come down to inform the others of their plan, but found quite a scene laid out before him.

"Is that the Furies, mate? Oh, you're bloody in for it now." Spike laughed at him

The three sisters looked at each other, their hovering getting slightly faster paced.

"Oh, well isn't this…"

"…a nice treat."

"Will there be a third?"

"NO!" both Angels replied completely creeped out.

The girls laughed and began the preparation for the spell.

* * *

"We'll, I'm glad that is over." Angel sighed in relief as he re entered the Hyperion after escorting out the Furies"

"I think I can speak for all of us, that if I heard one more 'mmmmm Angel' from those girls I was gonna throw them out myself. Screw the consequences."

"Yah, sorry about that."

"So, are we sure this spell actually worked? I didn't see any bells or hear any whistles." Gunn asked

"Perhaps we should test it." Illyria suggested. She then swung her fist full force at Spike. A loud crack sent her stumbling backwards, but caused no damage otherwise.

"Bloody hell woman! You should be thanking your lucky stars that spell held up. Shouldn't have left your damn room in the first place."

"I don't care for this spell." She looked at Spike disappointed "Undo it."

"We can't undo it Illyria, it is what will protect us. Not all of us have the power of a God, you know." Wesley was trying to sooth her, which he had gotten quite good at.

"Very well then, I will allow it." She conceded

Wes gave her a grateful smile.

"It's good that the spell works. We are probably going to need it more than you think." Angel said, looking as if he had volumes more to say

"You mean there is someone else out there that we are looking to piss off? Don't you think we have enough trouble already? Asked Cordy, still nursing her neck wound.

"Illyria went on a trip today and we found an opportunity to get to them. It's not something I'm looking to ignore. If we strike at the right time, they won't know what hit them"

"Who are you talking about?"

Angel paused and looked over to Spike who gave him a little 'go ahead and say it' nod He took in a deep breath gathering courage. "The Senior Partners."

TBC…

**A/N:** I know this was a super long chapter, and I hope that it wasn't too long for anyone. I always prefer chapters that veer to the longer side when I read anything (I'm just not usually able to write them!) but I know that isn't for everyone. It was a lot of info so I hope it didn't come out to choppy. Feel free to let me know what you think and thanks for reading. I hope you enjoyed.


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